Bridge-warning device



May 17, 1927.

F. H. GILLIGAN BRIDGE WARNING DEVICE Filed Jam-1:8, 1927 VWQ- Famed May 17, 1921.

UNITED STATES FRANK H. GILLIGAN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BRIDGE-WARNIN G DEVICE.

Application filed January 18, 1827. Serial No. 161,907.

This invention relates to a warning signal or safety device such as is used on railroads to indicate the near approach of an overhead bridge or other obstruction by which a brakeman or other employee on top of a car n'iight be struck or injured. 1 Such warning signals as heretofore commonly used have been found to be inoperative at times and deaths and injuries have resulted from the defects inherent therein.

It is the general object of my invention to provide an improved construction of arning signal or safety device for such purposes, so designed that it will be very reliable in operation and that the possibility of failure thereof will be substantially climinated.

With this general object in view. one important feature of my invention relates to the provision of means by which the separate depending wires or ticklers are maintained at all times in operative position.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of means for preventing accidental loss or removal of any of the sepa rate tickler wires.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of two of my in'iproved warning devices in operative position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial side elevation of one of the warning devices shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. S-lis an end view of the safety detvice, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of one of my improved tickler wires and certain parts associated therewith.

Referrin to the drawings, I have shown in Fig. 1 tie general construction and operation of my improved bridge warning device. I have shown two warning devices W dependin from suspension wires, cables or truss ro s 10 and 11, secured to posts 12 firmly planted at the outer sides of the railroad rlght-of-way. Each of the warnin devices W is centered over a line of trac 'l. The height of the warning device above the rails varies according to circumstances,

and the lower ends of the depending ele ments of the arning devices always extend substantially below the lowest point of the bridge or other obstruction to be protected. This general arrangement of bridge 'arning devices is in common use and my invention is directed to the construction of the warning device itself, rather than to the general combination and arrangement of parts shown in Fig. 1. and above described.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, my improved warning device in the preferred form comprises a supporting bar 20, preferably of wood, which may be attached to the wires or rods 10 and 11 by any suitable and convenient means. It is essential, however, that longitudinal displacement of the varning devices be prevented, so that each signal may remain accurately cent-cred above its track.

A plurality of tickler wires 21 are provided with loops or eyes 22 (Fig. 4) at their upper ends and are pivotally secured to screw eyes 23 which are firmly inserted in the supporting bar 20. Each tickler wire 21. is also provided with a loop or eye 24 near the upper end of each wire, and preferably about four inches below the eye 22.

A positioning member 25 is loosely inserted in the eyes 24, after the ticklcr wires 21 are assembled with the supporting bar 20. In the preferred form, the member 25 is constructed as a wire rod, extending loosely through the eyes 24 and having loops 26 at each end thereof to prevent longitudinal displacement of: the member 25. WVhile I prefer to form the member 25 as a wire rod, my invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and I may use more or less flexible wire cable or otier material. having the necessary strength and resilience for the purpose. The length of the wires 21 will be regulated by operative conditions, the wires being frequently several feetin length.

Havin described the construction of my improved bridge warning device, I will now point out the exceptional advantages thereof. \Vhen the device is in use, a brakeman standing on a car will be struck lightly by a few of the wires 21, while the greater number of the wires are undisturbed. In the old construction (in which there was no e uivalent to the member 25) the wires w ich struck the brakeman were frequently thrown up against the supportin bar 20 and remained in raised position, t as leavby the lirakeman have a sufficient yielding movement relative to the remaining wires liutieannot be displaced angularlv sntliciently to throw them to inverted position.

A 'fl'l'lfil'lfil' advantage of my construction lies in the fact that it prevents accidei'ital lose or removal of llLlilGI wires. The posh tioning member 2Fn cxtcndi1ig through the eyes; 24 of all the wire- '21, positively prevents any rotation of the wiree or screw e5 'es'2'3, so that they cannot turn out of the supporting bar 20. Furthcrmore, it the bar 520 ehould become old and worn to such an extent that certain of the screw eyes were loose, even "in this event the member 24: would retain the corresponding ticlclar wires in position and the device would r main wholly operative, unless the entire col lect'ion ot' tickler wires -fell from the lrar 2t), acondition which would he immediately apparent and would hequicl ly ien'iedied.

Havingdescrihe'l my inventitm and the a(l-.'anta; es thereof, it will be evident that changes and modifications ca he made therein by those Skilled in the art within the ecope of my invention an set forth in the elaima I do not wish to he other-wine limited to the details herein disclosed, but what. I claim is "l. A bridge warning device comprising a supporting bar, a plurality of depending tickler wires pivotally secured to said bar, and a wire-positioning member ell'ectlve to prevent suhstantial angular displacement of any tickler wire with respect to the remaining WUGS.

A bridge warning device. comprising a xeupporing bar, a pluralit o'l' depending stantial angular displacement ol any tick lcr wire with respect to the remaining wires.

:3. A hr'dgre warning device comiuising a mippoiiin; liar, a plurality oil depending ticltlcr wirc 'pivotally sr-marcd to -aaid hm: each of said wires having an cyc lormcd herein and spaced liclow its point olv pivotal conncctioin and a positioning rod extending through all of said eves and held from longitudinal displacement thcrefrmu. said rod forming an auxiliam support for each o Fltlltl wires.

l. A hridgo warning device comprising a, supporting oar. a plurality of depending ticlller wires pivotally accurcd to said lnll. and additional means cll'ectivc to prcvcnl. accidental lose or removal oi" separate ticlu ler wires; from said warning device.

:7. A hridge "arningr device wuuprieing a supporting liar, a plunlitv of depending ticltler wires pivolally secured to mid liar. and means to secure said wires loosely io cacl: other while permitting limited relative movei'ucnt thereof.

in testimony whereol l have hereunto alliixed my signature.

FRANK ll. (l lLlIlGr'tN. 

